


What Are the Chances?

by LovelyBackstreetReader1093



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, Love at First Sight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-09-17 22:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16982880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyBackstreetReader1093/pseuds/LovelyBackstreetReader1093
Summary: Did a chance encounter lead you to the love of your life or your soulmate? It could be anything! Looking Back at how the Boys all met their wives





	What Are the Chances?

_What if I never run into you?_   
_What if you never smiled at me?_   
_What if I had noticed you, too?_   
_And you never showed up where I happened to be_   
_What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?_   
_On a quiet night, what are the odds?_   
_What's a guy like me doing in a place like this?_   
_I could have just walked by, who would have thought?_

 

_Walt Disney World - June 1992_

 

20 year old Kevin Richardson was sitting with some friends in the employee cafeteria, donning one of his costumes one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, still reeling from breaking off his engagement with Beth when he noticed a fully dressed in a maid costume into the employee commissary. He suddenly did a second glance at the and all of a sudden it felt like someone turned a light on. She was sittin' down with some friends "She walked into the cafeteria,"

"Who's that?"

"Must be a new cast member, says she's a dancer from Kansas. Just got here a month ago before you came back."

Still looking the , Kevin was amazed as he took a glanced until the turned to his direction and gave him a smile, which made him hide his face and she giggled.

One of his friends, , noticed the exchanged turned to Kevin and kinda gave him the green light he might needed. "Kevin, why don't you asked her out? It's been a week since she left, but this one has been kinda checkin' you out."

"What?" Kevin glanced at in surprised. "Man, come on. I just broke off my engagement because I'm still young, plus you know how I'm shy around girls, I can't just go up and ask them out."

"Come on, Kev. You need to introduce yourself to her," patted him on the back. "Dude, she's interested."

"Okay. I'm safe." Kevin takes a breath. "I can do this."

Getting up from his seat, Kevin goes over to

so I went and introduced myself and later on, a couple days later I asked her for her number and asked her if she was interested in goin' out." Kevin recalls.

promptly asked her out.

Two months later, September 6th, 1992, Kevin and Kristin have their first date at the Bubble Room in Orlando.

"Sorry, I recently broke off my engagement with someone else."

"Really? I'm sorry." Kristin looked on with solemn in her eyes. "I just got out of a two year relationship, so I'm not looking for anyone new either."

Kevin turned to Kristin in surprised. "Wow."

"Yeah." Kristin looked down at her lap before seeing Kevin placed his hand on her.

Looking around the resort, Kristin turned to Kevin in awe

 

_Royal Laundry Pasadena, CA - June 15, 1997_

 

It's been two months since his breakup with high school sweetheart Samantha and 22 year old Brian Littrell was trying to shake the heartbreak from his mind because the group was on their way to film their next music video "As Long as You Love Me." It was around 3:30-4am, and while everyone was fast asleep, he was thumbing through a stack of the headshots for some of the young ladies that were going to be in the video, until the last one was to a black and white picture of a gorgeous young woman in a white top and blue jeans with the name Leighanne Wallace on the bottom, and he suddenly took a glance at the headshot.

Wow, she's pretty. He thought, mesmerized. I have to remember that (her) name. Still looking at the picture, Brian put the rest of the headshots in his backpack. "That's my type of girl."

4:15 am - The van stops at the video shoot at the Royal Laundry, and one by one, the boys got out to start the day. Later on, Brian was already dressed in makeup and wardrobe and had been filming a shot and the actress was nowhere to be found.

"Wonder where she is?"

About five after 9, a petite blonde hair, blue-eyed young woman in black top and khaki pants, carrying a bag of clothes shows up running in about two hours late. When Brian looked up, his mouth dropped in surprised. She's prettier than the picture.

"Oh, my God, she's stunning."

She came over to Brain, who had a basketball and a cup of coffee in both hands, and said, "Hello, my name is Leighanne." before sticking out her hand.

Brian just looked at her with a smile. "I know."

"You know?" She was stunned.

"Well, yeah, I took the liberty of seeing your headshot on the way here."

She was surprised before replied, "Oh, well since you know my name already, I owe you one."

"Okay." Realizing his hands were full, the two of them bumped rumps before sharing a laugh.

After a few seconds, someone in the crowd yelled out. "Brian, get to set!"

Brian turned to Leighanne. "Guess we better get going."

"Yeah, well, it's great knowing you."

A casting director escorts Leighanne to one of the trailers while Brian whisked away toward the set with a beaming smile on his face. Oh, my God. I came here for work, and she just changed my life.

Later that day during lunch, Brian was standing outside with his bandmate, AJ, talking with one of their bodyguards, when Leighanne, wearing a black dress, walked by.

"Excuse me." She confirmed before smiling at a camera, just as the camera turned to Brian, who put his hands on his head, and AJ who were just in awed.

"Damn, man." Brian turned to AJ. "What do you think about Leighanne?"

"Are you kidding? Dude, she's completely hot!" AJ replied. "Plus, I couldn't help but noticed that way she looked at you."

"Really?" Brian's eyes almost bugged out of his head.

"Yeah, I mean, I was already this close to checking her out, but based on what I've seen, you got the hots for her."

"What? No, stop it."

AJ chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm serious, dude."

Brian just shook his head before heading back inside.

Leighanne, reaching for a apple, looked up to see Kevin

"Hey, Leighanne."

"Hey, how are you?"

"Doing great." Kevin smiled before picking a . "How you enjoying your first day?"

"Okay. I got late because I couldn't find the location." Leighanne suppressed a giggle. "So, this video is for a workout or something?"

Kevin laughed before shaking his head. "No, but you're getting close. It's a music video for one of my group's songs, "As Long As You Love Me"."

Leighanne sees Brian talking to a manager before waving him down. "And this group is called, what's the name of your group?"

"Backstreet Boys, it's mostly a vocal harmony group that consists pf Nick, Howie, AJ, Brian and me."

"Brian..."

Brian came by, before fist-bumping Kevin as he heads off to the set.

"Hey, I see you've met my cousin, Kevin."

"You guys are cousins?"

Brian smiled. "Yeah, his mom and my dad are brother and sister."

"Speaking of dads, did you know today's Father's Day?" Leighanne asked curiously.

"Yeah, we were rushing to get here this morning, I didn't get a chance to call him." Brian groaned.

Leighanne threw her eaten apple in the trash and put a hand on his shoulder.

"So, Brian, that's your name correct?"

"Yeah, that's me, Brian Littrell."

"I never heard of this group, Backstreet Boys. Are you guys a up-and-coming group?"

Brian slip his hand in hers before giving her one of his famous smiles. "Close. Just started 4 years ago, and recently released a album last year."

Leighanne looked surprised. "Whoa! I didn't know that."

"Well, you should listen to some of our hits. We're really big in Europe, like massive."

"Really? So am I."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. Aside from acting, I started modeling back in Marietta where I'm originated from in my teens, and I did a training video for Hooters. Maybe you heard of the restaurant?"

"Yeah, I have." Brian takes a breath as he glanced at Leighanne's figure. She's so gorgeous.

After lunch, Sitting around the set while making the video, Brian noticed Leighanne's legs. "Oh, my God, your knees are so hairy!"

Leighanne, dressed a black and gold top and black shorts, looks down at her legs. "Oh, I don't shave my knees because my hair is blonde and you can't really see it."

"Really?" Brian folded his arms. "I didn't know that."

"Well, now you do."

The two had a good laugh before turning towards the camera.

Later on, After filming the final scene, the director, Nigel Dick, yelled out. "Cut! Mark your calendars, folks! We got it it one take! Great job, everybody, that's a wrap."

The entire crew cheer and jeer in excitement as the boys high-five one another.

"Great work, guys." Kevin gives a high five.

"I know. That was the longest day ever." Nick exclaimed in exhaust.

"Tell me about it. I never wanna see myself in another Afro again." Howie replied.

AJ turn to see Brian heading towards the door. "Yo, B-Rok, where you going?"

"Gotta call my dad." Brian said before stepping outside to make the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dad, it's Brian." Brian spoke through the mouthpiece. "Just wanna call to tell you Happy Father's Day."

Kevin looks on as Brian continues to talk to his dad on the phone. Seeing him giving a Father's Day greeting made him missed his own dad even more.

"Yeah, I just finished up another video shoot, so I didn't have time to call you."

_"Hey, Leighanne, We were gonna celebrate the end of the video shoot. Wanna come?"_

_"Ooh, can't go. I have plans."_

Brian turned around to see Kevin, Howie and Nick talking up Leighanne.

_"Bye, Leighanne."_

_"Bye, Leighanne."_

_"Bye, Leighanne."_

Brian lets out a puff of breath and shook his head, trying to act tough.

"Something wrong, Brian?"

"No, I'm fine, Dad. It's been a long day." Brian turned back on the phone. "Gotta go. Talk to you later. Give Mom and Harold a hug for me"

"Bye, Brian. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad." Brian hangs up the phone before turning to see AJ standing behind him. "Geez, AJ. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, Dude." AJ laughed. "Just wanna see if you were gonna say bye to Leighanne."

Brian sighed. "I was, I was just caught up with my dad that I noticed you guys were already talking her up."

I need my extras to hang out with the band for wardrobe shots. 

"Dude, I told you she's interested in you, that's why I backed off." AJ placed a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, don't just stand there. She's about to leave. You have got to ask her out."

"You sure?" AJ gives him a smile.

Brian rushes over to Leighanne.

"Hey, Leighanne. Sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I was saying happy father's day to my dad."

"That's okay. I figure you were. I did the same with mine."

Brian takes a breath. "So, are you free later on?"

"Oh, sorry, I can't. I had other plans." Leighanne explained in regret.

"Oh, well, what about tomorrow night? Do you like Italian?" Brian asked.

Leighanne gives a smile. "I love to. Italian's one of my favorites."

Brian smiled before taking out a piece of paper, writing his number down and giving it to Leighanne.

Kevin noticed Brian running back with a big smile on his face.

"You must've like Leighanne." He wrapped his arm around his younger cousin.

"I do. I thought you guys were..."

Kevin chuckled and shook his head. "Man, you know I'm still in love with Kristin. She's the only one for me."

The next night, Brian and Leighanne went out to a Italian restaurant for their first date at the Melrose Hotel in Los Angeles.

"This place is beautiful." Leighanne exclaimed as Brian pull a chair out for her to seat before taking his. After taking their orders, the two begin talking.

"When I got backstage, she was gone. That was the end of our relationship." Brian said in sadness.

"Oh, sorry. I just got out of a previous relationship as well." Leighanne said, placing a hand on his.

Brian looked at Leighanne before slipping his fingers with hers. "Looks like we both have ended our relationships."

Once their orders arrived to their table, the two continued to chat and mingled during their date when Brian took notice of Leighanne's clean-shaven knees and they laughed again.

"Nice legs."

Leighanne blushed before taking his hand. "I did them for tonight."

"I'm glad I got to meet you yesterday at the video shoot." Brian held Leighanne's hand.

"Me too." Leighanne said.

Brian and Leighanne smiled as they enjoyed their dinner date the rest of the night.

 

_The Firm - December 6, 2000_

 

After his recent split from Claudia, 27 year old Backstreet Boy Howard "Howie" Dorough thought his chance for his love is all but got more than he bargained for after hiring Leigh Boniello to be the band's webmaster in December 2000.

Leigh Boniello was a 26-year-old music enthusiast, anxiously starting a new job for the Backstreet Boys during the height of their fame, when suddenly she found herself caught up in an epic made-for-TV romance.

"Actually, at the time, we were approached by management in early 2000, when the internet was booming, and I don't even know what it [internet] was, but our management decided to create a little special site for our fan club [fans] get to see us do stuff outside of our concerts like just traveling on the days off. Her job was to get content of us doing stuff outside of the everyday show ritual, and I was always the one who would put my hand up when they'd ask, 'Does anyone want to go hang-gliding in Rio today?'" Howie Dorough recalls to ET. "So, she would come out and we did the pyramids and so many fun things. I always joked the website became mostly about me! She would just videotaped me consistently all over the place."

"It was like being on The Bachelor, because it was all these crazy experiences," adds Leigh. "It was like, 'Here we are in Mexico, let's get a private tour of the pyramids and go on crazy adventures together!' It just lent itself to a romantic situation."

Sure enough, romance bloomed and now, as the couple prepares to mark their 10-year-wedding anniversary on Dec. 8, they're opening up for the first time about their globetrotting courtship, most memorable wedding moments, juggling family life with BSB and why time apart has strengthened their bond.

Leigh, 43, admits she never expected a job interview would lead to love when she sat in the Los Angeles office of BSB's management, having completed her final interview for a webmaster gig. The band's team suggested she meet with the guys immediately; however, the group had just wrapped a six-hour planning meeting after flying in from the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, so no one was in the mood.

"We were all still hurting from the night before and just out of a six-hour meeting, then they're like, 'There's this girl Is anyone willing to stay and say hi to the new webmaster?'" says Howie, 44. "Everyone was like, 'I'm outta here,' and me and Kevin -- the good old faithfuls -- were like, 'Alright, we'll do it.' We walked in and I remember thinking, 'She's cute. Alright, I'll listen to this meeting.' Then I sat down and thought, 'Well, she's coming on tour, eventually one of us is going to hit on her!' So, I actually hired her because she actually had a good resume of just other artists she'd working for."

'I'm so exhausted, I'm so hungover. She's pretty, but I'm so tired.'

And, when it came to remembering her first day on the job as BSB's new webmaster in 2000, Leigh recalled some interesting advice from loved ones! "I remember my sister telling me, 'Put your hair up in a ponytail and don't put any lipstick on,'" she shared. "It was kind of nerve-wracking."

While Leigh had previously worked on websites for celebrities including Claudia Schiffer and on commercials and music videos for Quentin Tarantino's company, A Band Apart, she had no hands-on experience with video and behind-the-scenes content. "Then within the next couple of days, I was at the office by myself in the evening and they just handed me a camera and a map of the video shoot for BSB's 2001 hit "The Call," and was told, 'Here you go,'" then got into her car and burst into tears wondering how she would pull off her first major task the next morning. "I literally got in my car and started crying. It was really overwhelming having to work onto a set with all these people and not know anybody." Pulling through, a month later she joined the band on their Black & Blue tour and quickly bonded with Howie. She went from working on the Internet to working over Dorough's heart.

"I drove to downtown LA, which is sketchy, and lucked out because one of my best friends ended up being their hair and makeup artist, so that made it a little easier," continued Leigh, who went on to work for Jerry Weintraub Productions on projects including Oceans 12 and Westworld. "Then Howie and I got talking while he was in the hair and makeup chair. He was definitely the friendliest!"

"We were, like, best friends for the first few weeks," recalls Leigh, who had also worked alongside the head writers of Seinfeld and developed television projects at Dreamworks. "We did a lot of stuff together; we would sit together on the plane and just struck up a friendship. We were sharing potato chips!"

"I had come out of a relationship, so wasn't looking for anything serious, neither of us were looking for a relationship but she was around and we had a lot of same interests," adds Howie. "We both loved to entertain, be around people, go out, visit theme parks, ride roller coasters and eat.

While the pair soon discovered they shared a love of theme parks, socializing and food, one major difference was their musical tastes. In fact, Leigh knew little about BSB's music when she landed the job. Over time, they introduced each other to their favorite bands, with Howie getting more into Primus and Ben Harper, while Leigh learned about Sade, Maxwell ... and BSB!

"She opened my mind to music I hadn't listened to, like Ben Harper and Dave Matthews," the Dead 7 star continues. "She took me to Primus and exposed me to a totally different realm of music, and I introduced her to more pop/R&B, like Maxwell and Sade -- as well as our music. She knew who we were, but didn't truly know our songs, so when I hung with her, I was like, 'She's not a typical fan who knows every word and asks crazy questions.' It was a breath of fresh air to have somebody who had totally different interests, but we still saw eye-to-eye on a lot of things."

"I had literally never listened to their music before I started working for them," Leigh confessed. "I grew up on rock and reggae and my parents were friends with Bruce Springsteen and a lot of people in that camp, so I was going to shows and backstage when I was 5-years-old. I thought that was the norm until I hit my teens and started going to concerts on my own and was like, 'Wait a minute, I want to be back there!' Obviously, I figured out a way to get backstage again!"

 

_Choreographers Carnival - 2000-Saddleback Ranch - March 22, 2009_

 

Shortly during the band's day off of their Into the Millennium Tour, 22 year old AJ McLean decided to head out in los angeles, trying to check out what's going on in town. met Rochelle at Choreographers Carnival in 2000 where she was a dancer, but didn't actually start dating until she worked at the Saddleback Ranch restaurant as a waitress and a bartender.

A Backstreet Boy? Rochelle What type of girl does he think I am?

"Rochelle, are you still there?"

Rochelle snapped out of her thoughts and turned to the phone.

Hey, I got a question before I head out, is it true that you're AJ McLean..." Rochelle asked.

"AJ is short for my full name, Alexander James McLean. Why?" AJ blinked in surprise.

Rochelle sighed. "Because I found out through my coworkers that you were part of a boyband called The Backstreet Boys, and that you guys were still around."

"Well, yeah. I'm part of the Backstreet Boys for years." AJ replied in confusion. "Rochelle?"

"Ooh, yeah, um, I just remember I had to fill in for someone else tonight. Rochelle spoke nervously.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, sorry." Rochelle regrettably said before hanging up, trying to figure if she would at least risk going out Backstreet Boys, Alex aka AJ, why do those sound so familiar?"

**A year later**

At first in 2007 or 2008, AJ tried to win her heart with his Shakespeare sonnet poetry, but she turned him away on their first date after "finding out" he was a Backstreet Boy, so he went out with an ex-coworker of hers until a year and a half Rochelle waited for him after realizing her older brother worked with him on one of the band's music videos, Everybody (Backstreet's Back), and gave him a chance to take her out on a real first date to dinner at a restaurant called Camacho's and a movie. "It was the best worst first date ever lol. There was Mexican food, a band that wouldn't shut up, and a very graphic horror film! From that day that moment I knew this was someone special. We even both couldn't blow our noses cause it grossed us out!" AJ stated it in a Instagram post back in 2016.

Following his toxic leave from Rachel, AJ decided to go out

"Rochelle?" Rochelle whirled around in surprise to see AJ.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"It's me, AJ or in this case, Alex."

Rochelle nearly dropped her tray and placed it on the bar. "Alex, is it really you?"

"The same person from a year ago."

"Hey, it's been a while." Rochelle reached up for a glass before placing it on the bar-top. "I didn't even think you would remember me. So, how was everything?"

"Everything's great, well, almost great." AJ picks at his shirt. "I dumped Rachel."

Rochelle lift her head in stunned. "Really?"

"Yeah, that girl was completely crazy, like toxicity nuts!"

"Man, never realized that side of her." Fixing a drink, Rochelle hands AJ a nonalcoholic . "To be honest, I never really like her at all. When you came to Saddleback and you asked me out, she started giving me and the other waitresses and bartenders this awful glare."

"Well, I wouldn't call her snobby, just insane."

"Oh, speaking of asking out,..." AJ wondered as Rochelle comes from behind the station and sat down.

"What?" Rochelle look up in surprise.

"So, remember how last time I asked you out a year ago and that fell apart and I ended up dating some

Later that night, AJ meets Rochelle in Universal CityWalk at

"Hey, I wanna apologize for dissing you before our suppose-to-be first date." Rochelle biting into her . "It's just I actually heard of you guys back in high school, but I was more of a *NSYNC fan."

"Really? My guys know those guys, they're really cool."

"You are?" Rochelle was completely stunned. "Because I read that there was a rivalry between the two of you."

AJ laughed. "Oh, that was more media created, they just wanted us to think, when the truth is that both our groups were started by Lou Pearlman, maybe you heard of him?"

"Oh, yeah. He took over their financial sales and other things, claiming he owns them. Did he do the same with you?"

"Yeah, but luckily one of my bandmates, Brian Littrell, was the first to notice, got us a lawyer and we won our case, but he still own us a lot."

Wiping her mouth, Rochelle looked at AJ in shocked. "No way. I can't believe he scammed you guys, too."

"Yeah, last time my guys heard from him, he was arrested in 2007 for a ponzi-scheme.

After experiencing the excitement of seeing the Backstreet Boys Into the Millennium Tour,

 

_Carter Residence - October 20, 2008_

 

On a warm, crisp autumn day in Santa Monica, california, 28 year old Nick Carter never realized how hard love really is, especially from his dark past with Paris Hilton in 2003-2004 and then his parents' massive fighting that led them to their divorce. And then his reality show House of Carters with his four younger siblings and his longtime addition to partying, drugs and alcohol, which caused his diagnosis to cardiomyopathy in his heart, made him realized he can't do this to himself or anyone in his life anymore. So far the past year until now, he started working on himself by going to the gym, taking of himself, moved back to LA from Tennessee, continued to finished with his work schedule with the guys since one of their members left in 2006, especially getting rid of his demons, the people who made his life a living hell, so he even stopped focusing on finding love just so he can focus on helping himself. Forturcenitly, Nick's sister, Angel, and brother, Aaron, have seen how much their big brother is improving and appreciating what he's done to himself, but they noticed something was completely missing: a girlfriend. Luckily, the twins knew someone who would enjoy their brother's company.

Angel was basically on her cell, talking to someone on the line while Aaron was inside with Nick, playing with their dogs.

"Come on, you have to meet him. He's not a bad guy." Angel persuaded to the person.

Aaron sitting up from where he is, takes a breath before turning to Nick. "Hey, Nick. You got a minute?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Nick giving his dog a belly-rub, just as Angel comes back inside. "Something's wrong. I can tell that."

"Well, it's just that we're appreciated what you're doing right now to take care of yourself and basically your health, but..." Angel suddenly dreaded from conversating with her brother.

"When was the last time you found yourself another girlfriend?" Aaron somehow managed to finished her sentence.

Nick look one look at Angel and Aaron like someone abducted them of something. "Look, guys, I get what you're trying to do, but after Mom and Dad's divorce in 2004 and then my breakup with Paris, I really don't believe in love anymore and I can't focus on that because I'm still trying to rebuild my life right now."

"Well, do you wanna just hear us out first?"

Letting the dogs roam free, Nick glanced at Angel and Aaron for what they need to say.

"Nick, there's this girl I really want you to meet. Her name is Lauren, she's from southern California, she speaks multiple languages: Japanese, french, plus she also works out.

Nick rolled his eyes in "Really, Angel? I'm in the early stages of getting my life back on track from where I'm trying to stop completely any drinking and drugs. What's so special about this girl?"

"Come on, bro. You need to meet this girl."

"She's cool, loves animals, listens to rock music and plays video games, but there's a problem: she doesn't like Backstreet Boys or any boy band."

"Guys, I just been sober for six months after my health scare since the show we did two years ago," Nick falls back on his couch. "I don't want to meet anyone because I'm trying to focus on changing my life right now, working out and eating better."

Angel frequently grabbed her big brother's hand and looked him deep in the eyes with a pleading glance on her face. "Come on, Nick. Please?"

Looking back when they were kids when their parents were always fight violently, Nick lets out a big sigh in ex. "Okay, fine. Bring her here tonight, I'm hosting a movie night. If she is what you guys said, I'll give her a chance."

Angel lets go and gives her brother a kiss on the cheek before heading to make a call. Aaron turned to face Nick who hid his face in his hands.

"Trust us, Nick. She's gonna help you out with your sobriety."

Later on that night, Nick was setting up his livingroom for movie night, while waiting for the rest of his whole family to show up. All in the while, he couldn't stop thinking about Angel's friend, Lauren.

I wondered what this Lauren is like. He thought, as he scrummage through his movie cabinet. Is she pretty inside and out? Will she like me? God, I hope she's not like those girls in middle school.

Soon as he pull out a movie Big with Tom Hanks, there was knock at his door, and he rushed over to answer it. It was Aaron with his date and a few members of their family.

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey, I'm just setting up. Is Angel here?"

"Not yet, she's stuck in traffic but she'll be here." Aaron confirmed. "You need any help?"

"Yeah, sure."

Around 10 pm, Angel comes in with a really tall young woman with long black hair and blue eyes, dressed in a nice shirt, brown jacket and denim skirt. Nick was helping set up snacks on the table when he looked up at his sister and her friend and suddenly froze.

Angel carefully escort the woman over to Nick, who was still sitting. "Nick, this is my friend, Lauren. Lauren, my brother Nick."

"Hey, Nick." Lauren Kitt gives a wave.

Whoa, she's tall and stunning. Nick But she looked pissed.

Nick didn't stand up to greet me, he was just kind of like, "Hey, what's up?"

Man, he's so arrogant, standoffish and self-involved. The woman scoffed, before turning to Angel.

"Just give him a chance, Lauren. My brother's never like this, he's just shy."

"Oh." Lauren looked stunned at that. Guess I just needed to get to know him a little bit better.

Aaron grabbed a can a soda. "So, what do you think of Lauren?"

"She's really stubborn, but I kinda sense she's trapped somewhere." Nick getting a bowl of baked potato chips before walking back. "I could tell that she need someone like me to come in and love her and protect her and hold her. I just felt like she needed me.

"Well, go talk to her. When the movie's over, get her to talk to you. Learn more about her."

"Thanks, man."

After the movie, Nick and Lauren went out on the balcony of the apartment, overlooking the beach, starting a conversation as Angel and Aaron looked on.

"So, you got a DUI in 2003?"

"Yeah, I thought it was a joke with me and a few people at the time."

"Man, that's not good." Lauren tilted her head sideways. "They don't sound like the type of people you surround yourself with because they were freeloaders and enablers. They were just using you for your status."

"I know, that's why I was trying to focus on staying sober and not meet anyone." Nick sighed.

Lauren raised a eyebrow at his answer. "Was it because of your past relationships?"

"Not really. One of them was with Paris Hilton, and she was the worst influence I ever been around with."

"Can I ask you something?" Nick turned to Lauren in question. "Why didn't you meet anyone during your sobriety, other then me tonight?"

Stunned at the question, Nick looked at Angel and Aaron before turning back to Lauren. He silently shut his eyes before explaining, "Me, Angel and Aaron all come from a dysfunctional family. I was originaly from Jamestown, New York, but moved to Tampa as a kid. But by the time my brother and sister came around, there was a lot of fighting between our parents. Most of the time, they would make me and our sister, BJ, choose when they announced divorce. I mean, that continued until I started singing around 8-9 years old."

Lauren noticed that Nick was beginning to tear up before putting a hand on his back.

"But ever since I got several gigs around Florida and joined the Backstreet Boys in 1992 at 12 years old, they were still fighting, and it gotten to the part of when Aaron's career took off after mine,..." Nick begins to choke up. "M-My own mother started using us for money instead of acting like a loving mother that me, my brother and sisters needed. Then my parents got divorced in 2004, my father got remarried and I stopped believing in love."

"Oh, Nick, I didn't know that." Lauren's piercing blue eyes suddenly begin to cloud with tears of her own. "If it makes you feel any better, I had a rough childhood of my own."

"What?" Nick's head sudden;y shot up. "You do?"

"My parents divorced when I was 9, so I had the hardest relationship with my mom."

"Why?"

"My mother was con artist and was in and out of jail throughout most of my childhood, so it was really tough for me and my sister. My father was the only man in my life and my first love, but he was also strict, so strict that whenever I was with my mother, I started to rebelled against my parents."

"Like what?"

"Sneak out late, hang with friends who make fun of those who love boybands, no offence, partying and skipped school a lot, all because of my parents' divorce and my tuberculous relationship with my mom."

"Wait, you cut school?" Nick wipe a tear from his face.

"Yeah, I would snuck out whenever I was with my mom to hung out, party and missed school, so I couldn't focus on my grades."

"Wow."

"At least, you managed to go to school like a regular kid."

"Actually..." Nick turned away for a minute. "I never went to high school. I kinda was pulled out of middle school and missed that experience."

"What?" Lauren looked in shock!

"Yeah, to be honest, I didn't even get my GED like my bandmates, because I was focus on my career. As a kid, I was afraid to go to school because I was picked on a lot, I mean, I was the weird kid in the back of the room. But that changed when I got my first lead role in elementary school, and by the time I got to junior high, it became worst for me. I missed school a lot for commercials and other projects so much, I would get beat up, called names, I even had some pretty girls dissed me for the more athletic guys and I was treated like a outcast." Nick wrapped himself in a hug as the tears continued to fall. "Looking back, I wished...I wished I had live the high school experience like my friends, Kevin, Brian and Howie, had."

Lauren slowly walked over to him. "So, you never finished school?" Nick shook his head.

"Because of that, I started to experimented weed when I was 15 and started smoking marijuana, taking cocaine, ecstasy, oxycodome and drinking a large bottle of vodka."

Lauren gasped. "Nick, I don't know what to say, but..."

"Then my sister Leslie and Aaron started doing the same mistakes I did and next, I started to gained 260 lbs that started my heart problem and I almost died, all because of me."

Slipping a hand around his arm, Lauren gives a solemn look to Nick.

"Nick, that was never you back then, okay? None of our friends can changed that. Just like you, I started abusing alcohol in my teens during my rebellious stage."

"Really? You started drinking when you were 15?"

"It was more like 14-16, roughly around that time. No one knew about it except my sister saw me huddling in my bedroom floor, basically crying because I was scared. She called my dad, who got me help with alcoholic supportive groups and put me into rehab."

"Wow, Sounds like we got a lot of similarities: I've grew up in a house full of fear and experienced so many different things and you got a tough life too with her family and upbringing. It was like we spoke the same language."

Lauren suddenly rest her head on his back."Yeah. You said you were trying to stay sober and change your life?"

"Yeah, I just started working out since 2007 and I didn't like who I was before."

"Maybe there's something I can do to help?" Lauren wondered. "I'm kinda sluggish myself."

"I don't know. You looked pretty stunning to me."

"Yeah, but after living across the world from 2000, I need to be with family and I couldn't find anyone else in Japan, so I moved to Paris before coming back here and then I broke off my engagement with my late fiance. Which is why I never fell in love again.

Nick slowly moved to put his arm around Lauren. "But you met my sister and the rest of family and seem to get along with everyone else."

"But I'm more the opposite of any guy such as yourself, because I'm more a male counterpart – I'm black-and-white." Lauren shook her head. "You're more emotional and wanna talk about your emotions."

"Until I met you tonight, I've always have a very hard shell, so I'm not open up with strangers, I don't lay it all out there and I have a small group of people who I allow into my life, which includes your sister Angel."

"Have you ever once looked deep inside yourself to let someone know how you feeling?" Nick asked. "You know, open up to anyone besides your family?"

Lauren, shocked at how open and vulnerable he was, just shook her head no.

"Well, trying to open up, be vulnerable, take chances and be emotional, get in touch with your feminine side is basically the key to any relationship whether it's your friends or meeting someone."

"So is it possible that you can help me find that?" Lauren suddenly looks out into the ocean.

"I guess I can do that, if you can help me with my sobriety."

Three hours into conversing all of a sudden these shooting stars came across the sky and Nick and Lauren suddenly both glanced at them at the same time.

"Whoa!" Nick amazed.

"Ooh." Lauren was bewildered.

That's trippy!

Nick and Lauren turned to look at each other and everything got quiet like a sign from the heavens has approve the match.

Oh God. Is this happening? Lauren

Nick Is this really happening?

"I think they're probably wanting us back inside."

"Yeah, you're right."

Realizing that he had to go sing the national anthem for the World Series of Baseball with the Backstreet Boys the next day, Nick glanced at Lauren for a minute.

"Hey, are you free next day?"

"Maybe, why?"

"I'm singing for the World Series at Dodgers Stadium, and was wondering if you wanna come."

Lauren thought about it before looking back. "I'll see what's ahead."

"Okay." Nick said, before taking out his phone. "Mind if I get your number?"

"Sure." Lauren takes his phone and punch in her number under new contact before handing out her phone to him.

"Well, guess I'll see you around."

"Maybe you will." Lauren gives him a smile. before walking over to Angel.

Two weeks later, Nick was just finishing up a show with the guys in Canada. Noticing Brian and Howie with their wives, he couldn't help thinking about Lauren back in California.

I wonder how she's doing right now.

Nick, sitting down anxiously, frequently looked at his phone just as his bandmate AJ came over, seeing that Nick was basically distracted about something.

"Hey, man. You look pretty distributed all day." AJ concerned. "Something on your mind?"

"Yeah, I just met this girl the other night through my brother and sister, and she and I got a a lot in common. She got a hard upbringing growing up and I think she might be the one I'm looking for."

AJ sat across from Nick as he finished. "Really? Sounds like Angel and Aaron knows their brother more than your bandmates here. What's this girl's name?"

"Lauren, Lauren Kitt."

Lauren Kitt? That name sounds familiar. AJ thought back to before he went into the dark road, but shook that feeling out of his head. "So, what about this girl that you're interested in?"

"What I liked about her was that she had a very strong personality. I felt like I could be accountable to her and we could hide within one another. I just felt protected and that was important because I was out there on my own and had run with so many bad people ... it had been really tough for me."

"Well, man, from what I see, you night have found your match. I mean, both of us were playboy types back when our careers hit the roof. We went through the most relationships out of anyone in the group because we were the two youngest and just trying to have fun while travelling the world and meeting people."

Nick nodded. "That's true, man, but I became the heartthrob due to being the youngest in the group. You, on the other hand, were the biggest playboy than me."

AJ laughed before placing a hand on Nick. "Hey, man. That were close, but you know I lived the rock-star lifestyle for a little two/ three-year stint, where I was fazed out a little! But I was travelling the world, in my early-twenties and having fun. And I have to say, it's so comforting and nice to be domesticated now!"

"So, what do you suggest I should do?" Nick put his hands under his chin. "If she is my match, I don't wanna lose her."

"Do what you need to do." AJ looked up to see their manager calling for them before standing up. "Tell her that you're exactly what she may need in her life, talk to her. You have her number?" Nick nodded. "Call her and tell her how you feel. Invite her out to our tour so she can meet us."

Nick takes a deep breath and shakes the jitters out. AJ might be onto something. I had to make a choice the minute I met her and say, "This is the person that I want to spend my life with and I feel safe with her."

Something about Lauren might give Nick advantage he needs to stay sober. Later on after performing the National athem with the guys, Nick step out in the hallway and begins calling.

_"Hello?_

"Hello, is this Lauren?"

_"Yeah, who is this?"_

"This is Nick from the other night."

_"Oh, hey. What's up?"_

"Well, I was just calling to see if you were interested in coming out with me."

_"Really? What were you suggesting?"_

"I want you to come out with me to see what I do for a living."

_"I don't know, Nick."_ Lauren briefly hesitated. _"I'm not the type of girl who likes boybands."_

"But you have to," Nick's emotions were now mixed with anger and disappointment. "I mean, you have to come see what I do."

Hearing this, Lauren was a bit discourage at his request, but kinda noticed something he's been wanting to tell her.

_"Nick, is there something you wanna tell me?"_

Looking around to seeing noone could hear him or see him, Nick took a deep breath before yelling out, "Damn it! I love you, okay? I said it! I really love you, Lauren!"

_"I love you, too?"_ Lauren was surprised and shocked that it took Nick almost a week or two to tell her. Given that he didn't come from a background of lots of love, attention, support and protection, it was very odd for her to hear him being vulnerable and emotional.

Nick clears his throat. "Sorry, I just had to get it out, so are you sure you wanna come see me again?"

_"Yeah, sure. I love too."_

Nick turned to see AJ calling out for him. "I gotta go.."

_"Me too. Can you at least send me where you gonna be at?"_ Lauren asked.

"Yeah, I'll let you know soon. See ya."

_"See you soon."_ As soon as they hung up, Lauren sit around with her dog, finally believing that Nick might be her new-found love. Wow, I'm the luckiest girl in the world.  
AJ sees Nick come running up to him, shortly out of breath. "So, how she take it?"

"I'd invited her to come on tour with us, if that's okay with..."

"That's great, man. Some of us would love to meet her."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nick stuffed his phone in his pocket, knowing this is gonna be a great relationship for him and for Lauren.


End file.
